Opposites Attract
by Nozomi02
Summary: What if Sesshomaru had been advised on what he should look for in a mate? And was unable to find those qualities in a demon? Takes place near the beginning of the anime.


Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Author's Note: The rating is just to be safe. I'm not entirely certain where this story is going, but Sesshomaru is not going to be a flowery, sentimental version of himself. This story takes place almost right at the beginning of the anime. (I'm more familiar with that than the manga) I accept constructive criticism, and all polite suggestions.

Sesshomaru was restless.

This was not a common feeling for the dog demon, and he didn't like it. Until now, he'd always been quite content with his life. Unshackled, no responsibilities, and universally feared and respected as the most powerful demon alive, he was free to wander, practicing his combat skills on the worthy and unworthy alike. When he required amusement, he kicked Jaken. Now, even that favorite past-time seemed to have lost its flavor.

Jaken was even now spouting some nonsense that Sesshomaru was only half-listening to. He knew that when he became too annoyed, he would kick a rock at Jaken's head, who would then black out for a few seconds and remain quiet for the rest of the day. There was no variety anymore. He was no longer even certain why he allowed the imp to follow him. True, the toad was occasionally mildly useful, and his loyalty was unquestionable, but he talked incessantly, and usually smelled faintly of mildew.

His search for Tetsusaiga occupied his mind a little, but there was something still missing. He and Jaken were travelling to consult with one of his father's friends, one of the rare few that Sesshomaru actually respected. The last grave they had attempted was the wrong one, and Sesshomaru was tired of wasting his efforts. Granted, none of the guardians of the past graves had offered him any difficulty whatsoever, not even the pack of wolves on the most recent attempt, but his time was valuable, and he wanted to finally own Tetsusaiga. Perhaps this friend of his father's would have another clue as to where his sire's grave resided.

"Sesshomaru-sama, it has been rumored that a strange miko has freed your brother Inuyasha from the Goshinboku tree –"

Jaken's squawk cut off as a rock careened towards his forehead, the impact making his eyes cross, and his wobbly gait to become even more unsteady. Really, after so long in his presence, shouldn't Jaken remember that Inuyasha, that hanyou disgrace, is only his _half_-brother? Though, if the rumors were true, if this latest trip gave him no results, then it might be worth his time to pick Inuyasha's brain, so to speak.

Chinatsu, a sleek, still beautiful tiger demon, was patrolling her territory when she felt the presence of one she had not seen in decades. Instantly she ran to his location. She was curious to see how the pup had grown! She smiled when she finally came within sight. Sure, he was now taller than her, and had fully grown into his deadly potential, but she could still see evidence of the slightly pudgy, uncoordinated pup he used to be. Looking at him, and her own children that were now grown, she just felt so _old._

"Sesshomaru! What brings you into my territory?"

"I require information."

Internally she sighed. It seemed all the men in her life were artists when it came to delivering their point in as few words as possible. It was something she both loved and hated about them. What was so hard about a little small talk before getting down to the dirty details? In any case, she couldn't have Sesshomaru thinking he wasn't welcome here, when it was such a pleasant surprise to see him.

"Come, I know a pleasant place we can talk." Silently she led him to the lake in her territory, her favorite place to sit and relax. Usually she went for a swim, but something in the young pup's eyes warned her that this conversation would require her full attention. Sesshomaru revealed so few emotional clues; you had to go off your gut reaction rather than any definite signs. She'd known him for so long, she trusted her instincts, even though she didn't see him often.

Once they were both seated, and looking out over the water, the tall grass concealing most of their bodies from the view of passers by, she waited patiently for Sesshomaru to speak. One invariably got more information with that approach. He did not keep her waiting long.

"I am searching for Father's grave. So far, I have had no luck, and I tire of wasting my efforts."

"You want Tetsusaiga." She laughed at Sesshomaru's soft growl. Apparently he didn't like that she could see through his motivations so easily. "It is not hard to figure out. You are not the sentimental type that would require being present at his grave to pay your respects, and Tetsusaiga is the only object of value hidden in his grave. As for its location, I am afraid I cannot help you. The only thing I know is that Tetsusaiga was meant to be Inuyasha's inheritance. I imagine he would know the sword's location."

"Hn." The young dog demon went deep into thought. Chinatsu looked out over the lake to give him the privacy he needed to work things through, but she hoped he was going to ask her something more. The silence felt…unfinished somehow. Like there was something else bothering him, something that didn't have anything to do with his quest for the sword. To her dismay, however, he simply stood up and began to walk away.

Still not looking at him, she called out, "Sesshomaru." He stopped and turned. She paused for a moment, aware she had to phrase this next sentence very carefully, he would not take well to an implication that he needed her advice. "I would be happy to be of further use to you."

"And what further use could you be?"

"You tell me." She could see in his eyes that he understood now. He knew that she was aware that there was something not quite right in his life, now it was only a question of if he would take advantage of her age and experience to answer his question. He hesitated, almost visibly torn between turning and leaving, and getting answers he obviously craved. In the end, his natural curiosity won, as she had hoped it would.

Like a confused boy that she knew he no longer was, he sat down and described to her a restless feeling that never went away. A feeling of requiring something more in his life. She had to restrain a smile; he was describing something she herself had felt when she was about his age. When he had said his fill, she knew she would have to say something he would not like, so she attempted to deliver it in the way she knew he preferred – short and to the point.

"You are reaching sexual maturity, Sesshomaru. You require a mate."

"I have not met any female that is strong enough to be worthy of this Sesshomaru."

She sighed. He was still so young in so many ways. "Your mate shouldn't be as strong as you. That is not the way it works."

"I will not partner with a weak female and risk producing weak pups who will not survive into adulthood."

"You misunderstand." Chinatsu took a moment to think how best to explain this to Sesshomaru. He was very literal in many ways, and so needed an explanation that was equally literal. "You see, it's all about Economics." The boy looked at her like she'd suddenly gone senile. "It has been proven that when two people specialize and trade, they produce at levels that were impossible when they were producing only for themselves. Correct?"

"Yes, that is true. I do not see what this has to do with finding a mate, however."

"My point, dear boy, is that you need to find a mate that is strong in areas where you are not. And to not blame her when she is lacking in the areas in which you are strong." Gathering her thoughts once more, she proceeded. "Your battle prowess is uncontested. You are strong in defense, offense, and strategy. Your one weakness is that you do not understand your opponents. If you can find a way to understand their emotional motives, you can more accurately predict their next move.

"In other words, your mate should be a woman who can tell you the emotional state of your allies and enemies."

"Hn. This Sesshomaru has never felt the lack before. However, if this restlessness is truly caused by the desire for a mate, I will consider your words."

He got up to leave, and once more Chinatsu halted him with her words. "Beware, pup, a woman who is not afraid of her emotions will expect a certain amount of fondness from you, if not love."

"In return for strategic advantage, that is something that can easily be faked."

Once his tall figure was completely out of sight, Chinatsu sighed, this time loudly. "Oh, boy. Don't you understand? If she can't tell that you're faking, then she's not the mate you need." Sometimes she worried about that boy's future.

Several weeks later, Sesshomaru was finally standing inside his father's grave. He'd done as Chinatsu suggested and asked Inuyasha. If one wanted to get technical, the Nothing Woman asked him, but the outcome was the same. Unfortunately, his father had anticipated this move and warded the sword so heavily, it burned his hand to attempt to touch it. He had also done the other thing Chinatsu suggested, and had been lazily sizing up all the female demons he'd come across as potential mates. None of them had stirred either his primal instincts, or fit his more intellectual requirements. By nature demons cared mostly about survival, and did not think about much beyond that. Emotions were wasted on all but the strongest and the most confident.

This failure on both fronts was not sitting well with him, and he was standing next to the sword, contemplating his frustrations, and possible solutions, when Inuyasha and his human miko showed up. For now, the battle was a sufficient distraction, and a welcome physical exercise. Objectively he had to admit that for an insignificant half-demon, Inuyasha presented a slight challenge. He was distracted from Inuyasha when the heretofore unnoticed human woman shouted out to her half-demon protector to take out the sword, for it would cause he, Sesshomaru to lose face to be unable to do what a mere hanyou could.

In startled anger, he glared at the young, indecently dressed woman. So this is the kind of advantage Chinatsu was talking about! For anyone to gain such an insight into _his _character, when he was so careful to give nothing away, was a powerful tool indeed. Too bad she was human.

To his disgust, Inuyasha took her advice. Sesshomaru silently admitted to a little bit of shock and worry when the sword did not immediately reject Inuyasha as it had done to him. However, this internal dismay turned to a smug smirk when the sword remained firmly in place. He wasted no time in attacking. If Inuyasha was dead, the sword would have to choose a new master. He would make certain he was that demon.

Once again the little human distracted him from the battle. She and Jaken had been fighting, and during their skirmish, she had grabbed hold of the sword. Only when she had straightened and run back towards her assailant, the sword came with her. Finding the glares of everyone present on her person, she shrunk back a little, with a sheepish, "Sorry…it slipped."

At that moment, part of Sesshomaru decided that if the human was properly humble and loyal, she could be permitted to be his mate. He'd already half decided that no female demon would fit the requirements he'd developed from his discussion with Chinatsu, and it wasn't like he planned to spend much time with his mate. Obviously the girl had unexpected talents, and he could sense the potential for great miko powers in her small body. It was an advantage that she knew nothing of his hatred for humans, for if he was to fake love, he could easily fake respect at the same time. Inuyasha might be a slight problem, for he seemed to have some emotion for the girl, but that could be dealt with. He ran up to the girl, invading her personal space, and demanded that she hand over the sword.

Instead of complying promptly, she glared at him, and refused in the strongest possible language. Then she threatened to cut him with the sword. A mere human thought to threaten him, with what should be _his_ weapon! Potential mate or not, that could not be allowed to continue. So he quickly and without remorse, sprayed her with his poison, burying her in melted bone goop. He could easily find a better mate. He hadn't been looking forward to bedding a human anyway, and this one had had no knowledge of her proper place.

For the third time in less than an hour, the girl interrupted his fight with Inuyasha. She popped out of the hardened bone goop, cursing a blue streak, and indignantly handed the sword over to Inuyasha. Sesshomaru hardly noticed. No one had ever survived once he'd decided to kill them, much less an inferior human. He had much to think about now. He hated to give the impression that he was running away, but there was no harm in letting Inuyasha hold the sword for now. It wasn't like the idiot would even figure out how to unleash its full potential. And if he truly desired the woman for a mate (which part of him could still hardly believe, for he despised them and their weak, small minds), then he needed a new plan. But perhaps, before leaving, he should give the girl something to think about, to prevent her from becoming too loyal to the half-breed.

Utilizing his demon speed, he ran up to the girl, caught her in his arms and ruthlessly kissed her on the lips. He was expecting it to be thoroughly unpleasant, but her lips were soft, her breath minty, and the smell of her skin was refreshingly clean. What's more, he actually enjoyed the friction her small struggles created. Some mischievous imp inside prompted him to prolong the kiss, until she needed to open her mouth for air. Once she did, instead of releasing her, he slipped his tongue past her defenses, to caress tantalizingly along the sensitive edge of her tongue. Before leaving, he took a moment to savor the expressions of both the flabbergasted hanyou and the dumbfounded human. Then he flew out of the Great Dog Demon's stomach to think over recent events, and come up with a battle plan.


End file.
